“It’s gonna be a cold, cold Christmas without you,” goes the song – but alas, it’s an even colder one for those living in poorly insulated homes, warns Actis
The mixed bag of weather the UK is expecting over the festive season serves as a reminder of the merits of ensuring roofs and walls are designed or retrofitted to keep the warmth in and reduce fuel bills.
That’s the message from insulation specialist Actis, whose products are increasingly the top choice for specifiers, who praise the ease of use and thermally impressive performance of its Hybrid range of insulation and membranes and its new two-in-one reflective insulation with integrated vapour barrier Eolis HC.
Swedish timber frame specialist ScandiaHus, for example, has been using honeycomb style insulation Hybris, insulating vapour control layer HControl Hybrid and insulating breather membrane Boost R Hybris on all its show homes ever since carrying out an impressive thermal imaging study on the property on which it was trialled.
Having the right insulation for a cosy Christmas
Mark Cooper, UK and Ireland sales director at Actis, says: “The blanket style nature of the products means they massively reduce thermal bridging, which is must less likely than using rigid products which can leave air gaps in awkward shaped corners unless they are cut to a very precise shape.
“As thermal bridging makes up approximately 25% of a building envelope’s heat loss, ensuring this is avoided is crucial. Thermal transmittance makes up a further 45%, with lack of airtightness counting for an additional 30%.
“At the same time, it’s important to maintain an airtight layer against air leakage and a windtight layer to prevent air infiltration with a vapour control layer and a breather membrane. Perfect for a cosy Christmas, with more money to spend on celebrating and less on fuel bills.”
